1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a starting point searching mechanism in a cassette deck, and more particularly to a mechanism for locking fast-forward (FF) and rewind (REW) operational rods in the starting point searching mode as well as cancelling the lock to return the tape deck to the normal reproducing mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When selecting a desired music selection from several music selections recorded on a cassette tape and setting the tape at the desired starting point, the tape is generally subjected to FF or REW condition. That is, when one of the FF or REW operational rods is pushed, a limit switch is pushed by it. Then, an electromagnetic plunger is energized in accordance with the direction from the limit switch to thereby attract the FF or REW operational rod, thus locking it. At the same time, various mechanisms interlocking with the FF and REW operational rods operate to drive a tape in the FF or REW direction at a high speed. Accordingly, a head detects a signal for the starting point searching previously recorded at the beginning of the desired music selection on the cassette tape to thereby deenergize the plunger by the signal. Thus, the operational rod which has been is FF or REW condition gets unlocked to return in the normal reproducing mode.
On the other hand, it is also required to release the locking of the FF or REW operational rod which has been set in the starting point searching mode irrespective of the signal for the starting point searching in the cassette tape when reproducing a tape without any signal for the starting point searching being recorded thereon or when manually selecting a desired music selection even if there is recorded a starting point searching signal on the tape, for example.
In this connection, a tape deck needs to include a mechanism for manually deenergizing the electromagnetic plunger which locks the FF or REW operational rod. In this case, such a manual cancelling mechanism may preferably be mounted integrally with the FF or REW operational rod without providing it separately from them so as to minimize and simplify the whole mechanism as well as to simplify the operation of the tape deck.